1. Technical Field
The present application is generally related to improvements in internal combustion engines, and particularly, to a waste heat recovery system and method for internal combustion engines that use pistons.
2. Description of the Related Art
Improvements in vehicle operation efficiencies revolve around a number of parameters, including environmental impact, performance, and fuel type. Recent developments have primarily been made in the field of hybrid fuel technology, in an effort to improve vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce pollution generation from operation of the vehicle. Hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles typically rely on electrical, or fuel-cell technology. Hybrid fossil fuel-electric vehicles, however, have thus far only reached limited improvements in fuel consumption efficiency. Furthermore, hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles require high capital costs. Moreover, fuel-cell technology is not yet developed to a point to be sufficiently efficient for the current consumer market, and lacks efficient large-scale fueling station planning.
In addition, non-combustion motors have been proposed to be powered by waste heat to power accessories such as generators, and climate control. However, this utilization of waste heat has not had a significant impact in reducing the environmental impact of internal combustion engines, and use of waste heat has generally not been proposed, and has been deemed impractical, to aid operation of the piston engines.